When she heard that Liu Sizhuang, who had escaped, had to be caught again, Sun sat down on the ground again and cried and howled. No matter how disgusted the Red Team members looked at her, she just pulled Liu Erzhuang's trouser legs and asked him to explain to the Red Team members:
It was not Liu Sizhuang who took the initiative to beat Liu Sanzhuang, but An Baoling and Li Daya just couldn't stand Liu Sizhuang doing well, so they teamed up to bully Liu Sizhuang's family. They framed Liu Sizhuang together.
"Grandma, you said that my mother and second mother framed Liu Sizhuang, then where did the wound on my father's head come from?" □□ couldn't bear to listen anymore, so he stood in front of Sun with clenched fists and asked loudly.
Sun Shi didn't like Liu Sanzhuang, and of course she didn't like Liu Sanzhuang's son, so she usually didn't even look at this grandson. Now when she looked up and saw the tall and strong grandson standing in front of her, and the hatred in his eyes, she was stunned.
The Red Team member weighed the bench and asked Sun with disdain: "Yes, can you tell me how Liu Sanzhuang got the injury on his head?"
"He hit himself. He lost his balance and tripped and fell onto the bench, which is how he broke his head." It's not for nothing that Sun has been making such a fuss over the years that he actually came up with such a plausible excuse.
Xia Juhua shook her head after hearing this. If Sun had told the truth when Li Daya took out the bench or when the police asked her, Liu Erzhuang could have run some hoops for him after the Red Team took Liu Sizhuang away. But Sun was still stubborn and even went so far as to accuse An Baoling and Li Daya of slandering Liu Sizhuang. It was strange that Liu Erzhuang would care about him.
Xia Juhua thought that as a mother, you really can't be partial. Not only can you not be partial, you also have to see clearly what your children look like, and you can't put all the blame on others.
Xia Juhua was shocked by the emotion she suddenly felt: no matter in her previous life or in her new life, she always believed that the two children she gave birth to were instigated by their respective wives. Was it also because of favoritism?
She favors her own children and puts all the blame on her daughter-in-law. If the two children she gave birth to in her previous life could have been the same as now, and always agreed with her, would her daughters-in-law still dare to gossip about her like they did in her previous life?
For example, now, Liu Zhiquan took out the money from carrying food bags to ask his mother to buy a headscarf, and Wang Caifeng didn't disagree at all, and even persuaded Xia Juhua to accept the money. Not to mention Sun Hongmei, who dared not breathe at home now. She had to look at Liu Zhishuang's eyes before doing anything, for fear that Liu Zhishuang would be unhappy and send her back to her parents' home.
Alas - Xia Juhua let out a long sigh. Before she could think about it, Li Changwang's family had already advised her self-righteously: "Sister Liu, don't feel bad for An Baoling. Old Mrs. Liu is just that kind of person. This has really pushed An Baoling to the edge."
Xia Juhua agreed with this and replied, "Not only Baoling is getting anxious, I think Daya is getting anxious too."
Li Daya was of course anxious. Is "framing" a good word? To frame someone in front of the Red Team is like courting death!
Although Li Daya was just a farmer, farmers in this era attached much more importance to their reputation than they did thirty years later. No one wanted to be branded as a slanderer, let alone a scumbag like Liu Sizhuang.
Li Daya, who was now furious, was no longer the rural woman who stood still and listened to whatever her mother-in-law said. The words that came out of her mouth were as sharp as a knife: "I framed Liu Sizhuang, but was he worthy of my framing? All the old and young people in Ping'an Village are standing here. The revolutionary young men of the Red Team can just ask anyone out, is it necessary for Liu Sizhuang to be framed?"
"They both slacked off at work in the production team every day and went home to eat for free. The work points they earned were not enough to buy their own food. Their son and daughter were raised by my family and Sanzhuang's family. Why would they frame them?"
"Mom, you said I framed him, then let me ask you, where is Liu Sizhuang? Do you dare to come out and explain it to me face to face?!"
An Baoling hated Liu Sizhuang the most, and she yelled to Sun: "Yes, where is Liu Sizhuang? Call him out."
"Second brother, look at your wife, she is going to force your mother to death..." Sun howled unwillingly. She now regarded Liu Erzhuang as a life-saving straw, holding on to his trouser legs tightly, without noticing the disappointment and determination in Liu Erzhuang's eyes.
It was disappointment. Ever since Sun told the Red Team that Li Daya and An Baoling had framed Liu Sizhuang, Liu Erzhuang had been completely disappointed with his own mother. He rescued his trouser legs from Sun's hands bit by bit and said to the leading Red Team member, "I know where Liu Sizhuang's father-in-law lives. I'll take you there."
Sun looked at her empty hands. When she heard that Liu Erzhuang was going to lead the Red Team to Sun's village, she could no longer sit still. She stood up and pointed at Liu Erzhuang's nose and cursed: "Liu Erzhuang, you traitor, you actually brought outsiders to arrest your own brothers. Are you still a human being? When I gave birth to you, I should have drowned you in the urinal!"
"I also wonder why you didn't drown me at that time." Liu Erzhuang treated his mother's label of traitor very calmly.
Having already been disappointed, any more disappointment would not overwhelm Liu Erzhuang.
Sun was stunned by the question. When she came to her senses, Liu Erzhuang and the members of the Red Team were gone. Li Daya was bringing her two sons to help An Baoling carry Liu Sanzhuang into the west room.
The people who were watching the fun were still there, pointing and talking at the wide-open courtyard gate.
No one in or outside the yard paid any attention to Sun. For the first time, Sun felt that she was redundant. Liu Sizhuang began to feel guilty when Liu Erzhuang chased after Liu Sanzhuang to take him to the county hospital. After discussing with Sun, he took his wife and children, took the money from his room and given by Sun - he had to take the money, and Liu Sizhuang also knew that his father-in-law's family would not let their family eat for free - and hid in Sun's village. Now the yard was full of people from the second and third rooms.
None of these people looked at Sun, and none of them advised her to go back to her room and rest. Sun was not the kind of person who could have thought that the second and third wives would ignore her. It was because she was too partial to the second and third wives that everyone had such a big opinion of her, which made them more determined to think that only the youngest son had the best thoughts for her.
In the past, no matter what happened, the youngest son's family always stood on Sun's side. If anyone in the family dared to say a word against Sun, they would refute faster than Sun. Even Liu Sizhuang did not hesitate to beat Liu Sanzhuang until he was bleeding.
No, Sun now had only one thought in her mind, since her youngest son's family was the closest to her, she couldn't let her youngest son be taken away by the Red Team, and she couldn't let the Red Team label her son as a bad element - if her youngest son was labeled a bad element, the second and third wives would be even more proud, and from then on they would no longer care about her as a mother and grandmother.
Humph, since the second child led the Red Team to arrest the fourth child, then he can forget about being the production team leader. Sun thought bitterly, how can an unfilial person be qualified to be a production team leader?
While thinking about Sun, she walked out alone. Seeing how lively it was, she didn't even care about her obviously stupid third son, and was still thinking about going out. So they made way for Sun to leave. Some people followed her, wanting to see what this old lady was trying to do.
When everyone realized that Sun was heading to the brigade, someone ran to inform Li Daya and An Baoling. An Baoling said to Li Daya with some uneasiness: "Second sister-in-law, go and call mother back. If she goes to the brigade and talks nonsense, the second brother, the production team leader..."
Li Daya shook her head nonchalantly: "If he doesn't want to be the leader, then so be it. If he wasn't the production leader and was worried about the bad influence every day, we would have been separated long ago."
Who wouldn't want to live separately? He could keep the work points he earned, and not have to support a lazy brother-in-law who doesn't complain about him. An Baoling nodded in agreement, "That's right. I think Sanzhuang is stupid. Before he was stupid, he did stupid things and didn't get any good results. Now that he's stupid, no one will stop me if I say we should divide the family."
To the person who sent the letter to them...I sent them loneliness.
On second thought, what Li Daya and An Baoling said was right. With a mother-in-law like Sun, a brother-in-law like Liu Sizhuang, and a sister-in-law like Sun Guizhi who is prone to trouble, it is better not to be a production team leader and to just support your own man. No one is willing to share the same pot with them.
So everyone comforted An Baoling, felt sorry for Liu Sanzhuang, and left the old Liu family, and ran to the brigade in a hurry to see what Sun was up to. While running, everyone spread the words of Li Daya and An Baoling, and everyone who heard it cursed Sun and Liu Sizhuang's family.
Xia Juhua had not heard these rumors yet. After everyone had left, she entered the yard of the old Liu family. Without even looking at the main house, she went straight to the west wing where Liu Sanzhuang and his family lived.
"Sister-in-law, you're here." An Baoling could ignore others, but when she saw Xia Juhua, tears fell again: "Sister-in-law, this life can't go on. I have to take San Zhuang and separate from the family to live alone."
Xia Juhua smiled helplessly and did not respond. Instead, she asked, "When Zhishuang came back, he told me that the doctor said that the third child just needed to go home and recuperate. He did not say...how did the third child become like this?"
Liu Sanzhuang, who was lifted onto the kang, was still lying on his back, his eyes still motionless, and he showed no reaction to who was coming or going. Li Daya sighed and said, "When Erzhuang came back, he also said that Lao San was fine. Maybe he meant that the head injury was nothing serious, and he was afraid that his family would worry."
After that, she took Xia Juhua's hand, asked Xia Juhua to sit down on behalf of An Baoling, and said, "Sister-in-law, I've made up my mind. If Erzhuang can't be the production team leader this time, I will also separate from the family and live on my own."
這是你們老劉家自己的事兒，跟自己這個早已經分家出去的兒媳婦說不好吧？夏菊花低下頭，一句回應也沒有。
李大丫和安寶玲并沒有因為夏菊花的不回應，覺得她有多不近人情不給自己出主意，反而認為大嫂就是這樣的人，碰着是非總是繞着走。
她們跟夏菊花說自己想分家單過，一是實在憋屈的太狠了，要讓人人都知道自己的決心。另外一個就是讓夏菊花知道，她們跟夏菊花一樣受孫氏欺負多年，理解了當年夏菊花非得離開老劉家的決心。
倒不是想讓夏菊花多同情她們，而是大房的日子眼見着一天好過一天，說不定她們分家單過之後，哪天得讓大房伸把手呢——劉三壯受傷，夏菊花不就毫不猶豫的借出一百塊錢來。
一百塊錢呀，說拿就拿出來了，平安莊有幾家能有這樣的底氣。
別人的心路歷程夏菊花沒有興趣，一如當年她不得不離開老劉家，劉二壯和劉三壯也不能阻止孫氏是同樣的道理。她只是泛泛的安慰安寶玲幾句，告訴她沒有過不去的坎，說不定過幾天劉三壯自己就養過來了。
“別着急，讓老三慢慢養着吧。”夏菊花對安寶玲說：“剛才聽說老三回來了，我把火熄了過來的，要是不親眼看看也不放心。現在知道他就是需要養着，我這心裏也算踏實了，家裏還有活我也不多呆了，你有事讓志軍他們哥倆跟我說。”
安寶玲點點頭，從兜裏掏出昨天向夏菊花借的錢，遞給她說：“嫂子，三壯看病就花了十多塊錢，他自己扛糧食包掙的夠了。這錢你先拿回去。”
夏菊花有些狐疑的看了躺着不動的劉三壯一眼，不是說他死活也沒告訴孫氏錢放在哪兒嗎，安寶玲是從哪拿到的呢？
安寶玲見大嫂看劉三壯，以為她擔心劉三壯以後的病還得用錢才不肯接，一邊往夏菊花兜裏塞錢一邊說：“他這樣也不知道什麽時候是個頭兒，我手裏的錢暫時還夠使，等不夠了再跟嫂子借。”
李大丫也有些不好意思的幫着勸夏菊花把錢先收回去，說：“也是我和二壯沒本事，兄弟遇到這麽大的事兒，眼看着要娶兒媳婦了，卻拿不出錢來幫忙。嫂子你放心，以後老三有我和二壯呢，不會讓寶玲一個受累。”
聽她們這麽說，夏菊花就把錢揣進兜裏。她不懷疑李大丫說的話裏有水份，畢竟當年她帶着孩子分家之後，劉二壯夫妻也沒少暗裏幫襯。
當年他們都能頂着孫氏的壓力出手，沒道理現在都要分家了，反而不管劉三壯。
見夏菊花走到門口，安寶玲想起件事兒來，說：“嫂子，我帶着紅小隊的人進村的時候，他們聞到你們家炒花生的味，問是誰家，還問家裏咋有這麽多花生。我倒是跟他們說是供銷社托你給炒的，也不知道他們信不信。”
紅小隊不是什麽講理的人，被他們盯上基本都要倒黴，所以安寶玲哪怕再擔心劉三壯，想起來還是要提醒一下夏菊花。
夏菊花心裏也是一哆嗦。紅小隊的可怕之處，她當然知道，要是自家被紅小隊盯上了，不抄家也得扒層皮。幾乎是軟着腿回到自己家裏，夏菊花沒急着得新炒花生，而是看着花生袋子發呆。
“娘，我三叔咋樣了？”因為有劉保國，怕他被看熱鬧的人擠着吓着，王彩鳳沒去老劉家，就等着夏菊花回來打聽有什麽熱鬧沒有。
不想婆婆一回家來就發呆，王彩鳳只能按下好奇心，問了一個安全的問題——婆婆自己不好說是非，她問問三叔的情況，是做晚輩的關心長輩，不算扯老婆舌頭。
夏菊花被王彩鳳的問題喚醒了，心裏迅速想着紅小隊會不會在處理完老劉家的事兒，翻過頭來找自己的麻煩，如果他們來找自己的麻煩，那自己應該怎麽減少損失，所以她沒心思回答王彩鳳的問題。
可能是她想事情的時候神情太專注太嚴肅，王彩鳳竟然不敢接着問，抱着劉保國站也不是走也不是。
王彩鳳的去留夏菊花根本顧不上在意，她花想的就是：要是紅小隊真找自己麻煩的話，應該找誰幫忙呢？
做為一個農村婦女，夏菊花認識的人中除了劉二壯是個生産隊長，再就是供銷社主任是個幹部。劉二壯現在自顧不暇，再說他那個生産隊長出了平安莊，沒人還拿他當幹部。夏菊花看着廚房裏擺得滿滿的炒花生，一籌莫展。
說起來炒花生這件事，雖然是供銷社托她做的，可是她畢竟每斤收了一分五做手工費，如果紅小隊給她上綱上線的話，這一條夏菊花就說不清。
加上紅小隊成心找麻煩的話，很可能會抄家，到時夏菊花憑技術省下來的花生，被翻出來一樣說不清楚。想到這裏，夏菊花沖王彩鳳擺了擺手說：“你帶着保國去看看你三叔吧，看着不太好。”
王彩鳳一聽臉也變了，竟然不太好，怎麽個不好法？這時王彩鳳心裏竟無比慶幸自己的婆婆是夏菊花，她沒偏着哪個向着哪個，男人扛糧食包掙的錢也分了一半讓自己拿着，沒說都捏到手裏，更不會用這錢去補貼另外一個兒子——生産隊分紅的時候，孫紅梅那麽想着兩房平分，婆婆也沒同意，這就是公平。
“奶奶是咋想的，明明二叔三叔比四叔能幹多了。”王彩鳳想不明白孫氏的思路為啥這麽與衆不同，摞下這麽一句，抱着劉保國出門了。
夏菊花連忙關上院門，回去把這些天留出來的生花生裝好，一步一挪的提到菜窖裏。菜窖裏頭溫度比外頭高，又放了白菜、紅薯，并不是儲存生花生的好地方。夏菊花現在顧不得了，将白菜垛掏出個能塞下袋子的洞，放好後用掏出的白菜掩藏好，才稍微放了點心。
從菜窖出來，看着炒好沒炒好的花生，夏菊花心裏還是不安定，覺得哪怕自己賺下來的花生被紅小隊抄去了，也不能讓供銷社跟着受損失——紅小隊抄家的時候不會聽人解釋，萬一把供銷社的花生也當成她的一起抄走，她可沒這麽些花生賠給供銷社。
想到這裏，她又馬不停蹄的出門，敲開陳冬生家的門，讓孫招弟一會見王彩鳳回來，跟她說一聲自己去供銷社了，中午不用等着自己吃飯，就大步流星的往公社趕。
不急不行，花生已經炒好了一大半，得讓供銷社快點拉走，哪怕不要工錢呢，也比讓紅小隊一鍋端了強。等她趕到供銷社，汗水不停的從臉頰上滴下，大冬天的看起來十分滑稽，倒把王彩霞吓了一跳：“你這是遇到啥事兒了，看走的這一頭汗。”
夏菊花顧不得跟她寒喧，拉着她問：“主任在嗎，我得跟主任說說炒花生的事兒。”
見她這麽着急，王彩霞也不跟她啰嗦，帶着夏菊花就去找主任。主任見到夏菊花也有些吃驚，問：“你這麽快就把花生炒完了？”
夏菊花苦笑着搖了搖頭說：“沒有，剛炒了一千二三百斤。主任，我遇到麻煩了，可能不能再替供銷社炒花生了。”
主任的眉頭就皺了起來：“咋啦，是你們生産隊不同意？我都跟你們生産隊長說好了，你幫着我們炒花生，等開春供銷社來了化肥，優先供應你們生産隊點兒，他咋還變卦了呢？”這樣的好事，別的生産隊想都不敢想，平安莊生産隊的隊長腦袋沒壞吧。
夏菊花搖了搖頭，告訴主任不是生産隊長變卦，而是紅小隊可能盯上她了：“雖然現在他們還顧不上我，我怕萬一他們閑下來，就會去找我麻煩。”
“我被罵被□□沒事兒，就怕他們不分青紅皂白把花生都抄走了，那供銷社損失就大了。主任，你看現在能抽出人來不，還是讓人把花生都拉回來吧，炒好的花生，工錢我也不要了。”
說不要工錢的時候，夏菊花心裏真舍不得，那可都是她一鏟子一鏟子炒出來的。花生也就算了，供銷社每次随花生一起送去的，還有挂糖霜用的白糖，對于貧窮的農村來說，白糖也是不可多得的好東西。
每一次夏菊花都省着再省着用，還得保證糖霜挂的全面均勻，是真的考功夫。也因為她的手藝到家，所以除了省下生花生，她這段時間還省了近一斤的白糖，用包裝紙包着，被夏菊花珍惜的放在櫃子最底下，以備不時之需。
供銷社主任聽完夏菊花的擔心，竟然樂了：“原來是因為這個你特意跑了一趟，要是早知道的話讓人捎個信來就行。”
自己以為天塌下來的大事，主任竟然說的這麽輕描淡寫，夏菊花有些反應不過來：“主任，那些花生都是公家的東西，萬一被紅小隊抄走了，我可賠不起。”
The director still looked at her and smiled: "You are too cautious. The peanuts you fried the last two times were handed over to the county supply and marketing cooperative by me, and they received good reviews from the county supply and marketing cooperative. That's why I let you fry so much this time." He was just the director of a small commune supply and marketing cooperative. Even if he had a good relationship with the commune grain station, it was impossible for him to take out 2,000 kilograms of peanuts at once. Those were all brought back from the county.
Xia Juhua listened in bewilderment, still not understanding what the director said had to do with the possibility that the Red Team would raid her home. The director did not keep her in suspense, and said to Xia Juhua with a smile: "The county supply and marketing cooperative will not let our supply and marketing cooperative provide specialty products for free. It is agreed that the first batch of fertilizers will be supplied to our Red Star Commune in the spring of next year."
"I have reported this good news to the director of the commune's revolutionary committee. The director strongly supports our request for you to continue frying peanuts. Don't worry, with the support of the revolutionary committee, the Red Team can't do anything to you."